alchemist netherland fahrenheit enchantress

books:

11 reviews
Andre Dubus III

W. W. Norton, 2008

Best Book of the Year
This book is going to win both the National Book Award and Pulitzer prize-- it reminds me of the best of what Anne Tyler can do-- good old fashioned story telling-- but with a subtle global perspective that forces us to look beyond cultural and socioeconomic sterotypes and at each individual. The Garden of Last Days will appeal to almost everyone-- it is impossible to put down, with both deep ...

Water for Elephants: A Novel

1321 reviews
Sara Gruen

Algonquin Books, 2007

Hard to get into, but totally worth it!
I bought this book ages ago, always with the intention of reading it. (I must admit, I'm not a huge circus lover so wasn't sure what I'd think, but after reading other reviews I thought I'd give it a try.) For me, the book was hard to get into and I picked it up and put it down several times over a few months. While on vacation, I made the decision to stick with it--and I'm sure glad I did! ...

Nothing to Lose (Jack Reacher Novels)

45 reviews
Lee Child

Delacorte Press, 2008

His best yet
It is interesting to see that people review a book based on their own political biases instead of the quality of the writing and the story. While the story gets a little repetitive as Reacher goes back over and over again between Despair and Hope(great names, perfect symbols for a nation's emotions in the 21st. century) but it dawns on you that that is Jack Reacher's core character; he won't let ...

The Spies of Warsaw: A Novel

8 reviews
Alan Furst

Random House, 2008

"What do you think spies are: priests, saints and martyrs?"
John LeCarre, "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold" As its title suggests, there are more than a few spies in Alan Furst's latest novel "The Spies of Warsaw." None of them are priests, none are saints and none strive for martyrdom. What we find are a willing and unwilling collection of French, Polish, German, and Russian operatives in pre-WWII Poland. The result is a typically good Furst ...

Careless in Red: A Novel

54 reviews
Elizabeth George

Harper, 2008

George is right on target
Careless in Red is vintage E. George. Great characters, an interesting plot, and a genuine rendering of Lynley's struggles after the death of his beloved wife Helen and their unborn son.

The Enchantress of Florence: A Novel

7 reviews
Salman Rushdie

Random House, 2008

Dazzling!
When I read, I fervently hope to be overcome with thought, beauty, history and by the power of an writer's words. In short, all I ask is . . . beloved author, dazzle me! Salman Rushdie has dazzled promiscuously with this, his exalted, effete, and gorgeous new work, "The Enchantress of Florence." The last time I was similarly stupefied by sheer talent, veracity and yes, beauty was when I ...

The Host: A Novel

266 reviews
Stephenie Meyer

Little, Brown and Company, 2008

Meyer's writing style improves
I liked the Twilight series, but I LOVE The Host. Stephenie Meyer's writing style has really matured with this book. The Twilight series is good, but rather juvenile. The Host is emotionally gripping without being quite as emotive as the former series. The Host is the story of Wanderer a body-snatching alien or "soul," and her "host" body, formerly a human woman named Melanie Stryder. ...

Chasing Harry Winston: A Novel

21 reviews
Lauren Weisberger

Simon & Schuster, 2008

Great Summer Read
I think some of the reviews are too critical. This is a fun book that I truly enjoyed. The pages practically turned themselves. I though the book was a great summer read...I recommended it to all my friends.

A Thousand Splendid Suns

1217 reviews
Khaled Hosseini

Riverhead, 2007

Splendid is right...
Like "Kite Runner," I just couldn't put it down. And, like "Kite Runner," when I was reading it I thought it was the best story I'd ever read. It's right up there. There's something about Hosseini's writing style--on top of the incredible stories he tells--that is perfect without ever being obtrusive. He just pulls you in from the first page, and you're in another world. Can't wait for more.

Unaccustomed Earth

67 reviews
Jhumpa Lahiri

Knopf, 2008

Insightful and elegant writing
The power of this book is rooted in the author's keen insights into human nature. The stories linger in your memory long after you finish reading them.

Loving Frank: A Novel

98 reviews
Nancy Horan

Ballantine Books, 2008

a lovely little gem to read!!
I began reading this book early last night and in less than a twenty-four hour span, I am done. I was completely absorbed by the tale of Mamah and loved the harmony with which this woman was depicted, while showing all the adversity she had to go through. Not knowing anything about Nancy Horan, I had no presupposition about this book and fully enjoyed it! For those who haven't read, are on the ...

The Steel Wave: A Novel of World War II

12 reviews
Jeff Shaara

Ballantine Books, 2008

Great Read! Reminds us of the Impact that war has on all Soldiers
What makes Jeff Shaara's books so wonderful is that while he does an excellent job of providing an accurate historical account of the war he is covering - he can do so in an easily read and entertaining fashion. But even more important, in my opinion, is that he provides tremendous insights in the emotions that Soldiers go through while in combat and reminds us that all Soldiers - regardless of ...

The Kite Runner

2388 reviews
Khaled Hosseini

Riverhead Trade, 2004

Well written book much like three stones
This is well written book in which the author attempts to be honest about his life to this point. Granted that it is sometimes heavy reading, the book tells a perfectly logical and realistic tale about life in Afganistan during the time whent the Taliban ruled the country. The characters rue the fact that the "old monarchy" was no more. Of course they were also the leading people in ...

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (Diary of a Wimpy Kid)

89 reviews
Jeff Kinney

Amulet Books, 2008

Read this with your child!
I won't let my son read it without me...it is so funny!! I also started it with a student I tutor and she loved it too. It moves quickly and has funny little illustrations on most pages. This is a classic, I am going to get the other one today! This is perfect for kids who are less than excited about reading a chapter book. Love it.

Netherland: A Novel

11 reviews
Joseph O'Neill

Pantheon, 2008

Cricket in Purgatory
The book jacket is entrancingly deceptive. Printed on what feels like watercolor paper, it shows a colored vignette of men in white playing cricket on a village green watched by spectators relaxing in the shade of a spreading chestnut tree. It could well be the nineteenth century, except that the skyline in the background is Manhattan, and Joseph O'Neill's novel is set in the first years of the ...

The Yiddish Policemen's Union: A Novel (P.S.)

250 reviews
Michael Chabon

Harper Perennial, 2008

The Last Days
This is the third Chabon book that I have read (after THE FINAL SOLUTION and THE MYSTERIES OF PITTSBURGH) and it is unquestionably the best -- imaginative, audacious, thought-provoking, and humane. As I gather he did with KAVALIER & CLAY, Chabon takes a genre of popular fiction, in this case the police story, and transforms it into a vehicle capable of carrying significant insights into the human ...

Swine Not?: A Novel

16 reviews
Jimmy Buffett

Little, Brown and Company, 2008

Good read, not your typical Jimmy book
I decided to read this book for the obvious reason - it is written my Jimmy Buffett, of whom which I am a loyal fan. It was no where near as long as his past books, and the chapters were very short. The story was easy to follow and almost reminded me of a young adults book (not that that is a bad thing, it was just an easy read, 256 pages). I am an animal lover, so I understand how the family in ...

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

134 reviews
Jeff Kinney

Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2007

My son loves this book.....
My 9 year old son absolutely loves this book. He read it so quickly we bought the next book Roderick Rules. Can't go wrong with this book. My son was actually excited by reading and laughed through the whold thing. Very positve reading experience for a child who absolutley hated reading.

The Alchemist

1223 reviews
Paulo Coelho

HarperCollins, 2006

The book left me in aww
This book has had an amazing impact on my life. I'm at a place where I'm searching for my purpose in life (Personal Legend if you will :)) and I have been reading self-help book after self-help book. I love The Secret, was even on Oprah for the follow up show. What makes this book so refreshing is the story. It takes you away from the typical self-help-how-to book and speaks in this beautiful ...

Fahrenheit 451

1248 reviews
Ray Bradbury

Del Rey, 1987

Fahrenheit 451
Fahrenheit 451 is the story of Guy Montag in a future where most people live their lives in willful ignorance and the job of firemen is to find books and burn them. The story follows Guy, who is a firemen, as his new neighbor gets him to open his eyes to the world around him. The plot is enough to keep any reader chugging along, but the main hook to this book is Ray Bradbury's disturbing ...

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